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Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies Review

PROS

Solid replication of the original mode with accommodations for the smaller platform.

Serviceable controls; auto-aim can be turned off to retain some sense of challenge.

'Unlockable' twin-stick arcade mode; fun, if a bit hollow.

Voice-chat for co-op multiplayer.

CONS

Netcode for online play currently spotty; latency can cause serious performance problems.

Shallow and drawn out difficulty curve; it can take a LONG time to reach genuinely challenging fights.

VERDICT

Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies almost succeeds in transplanting the console version of the game to the iOS platform, but balance issues, network problems, and a serious lack of variety make it hard to swallow the price of entry.

Full Review

App Store Info

For those yet to try out Call of Duty's interestingly themed co-op addition to their main series, the 'Zombies' titles represent a fun and frantic distraction from an otherwise serious first person shooter. Its initial conversion to the iOS platform was far from well received and its 'sequel' was appreciated even less, but is the third time a charm for Activision's Black Ops Zombies?

The game tasks you with the seemingly impossible challenge of defending a map from its unholy attackers for as long as possible - it's practically a suicide mission, but at least you'll take out plenty of the blighters before succumbing to the final embrace of death. The map in question (as there's only one available at the time of this review) is the appropriately named "Kino der Toten" (or 'Cinema of the Dead'), one of the real standouts from the console platform.

Whether you take on the task solo or join a co-operative multiplayer match (local and online options available), you'll find yourself mowing down zombies, wracking up points in the process, and repairing defenses to slow down the inevitable tide of enemies. These points can be used to open up new areas, which in turn weakens your defenses by providing more spawning areas for the zombies, but it also means you can eventually activate defenses or powerful upgrades designed to prolong your current game.

Unfortunately it all falls flat once you've overcome the initial difficulty of escaping the first area. Zombies only spawn in limited amounts, giving you a chance to run around and funnel them through choke-points for easy grenade blasts (or trap kills) and the inclusion of a powerful auto-aim ensures you're unlikely to run out of ammunition any time soon even with the rather poor 'tap to fire' control system that should be banished from almost any FPS on the platform.

It's a shame because so much of the experience feels so perfectly replicated and having to wait out wave after wave just to reach something challenging gets monotonous on the same map. Thankfully players can distract themselves with an entirely separate top-down twin-stick shooter mode that tries to emulate the Smash TV formula, but aside from the initial amusement it gives it also plateaus in its difficulty all too soon.

As such, other concerns such as poor netcode for the co-op feel slightly irrelevant if the basic game doesn't chalk up a worthwhile challenge, making Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies a disappointing third entry for the series. Hopefully updates address these concerns quickly as the excellent game mode deserves a solid mobile counterpart.

Description

The Call of Duty®: Zombies phenomenon has risen back to life.

Adapted from the best-selling console hit and built specifically for tablets and smartphones, Call of Duty®: Black Ops Zombies delivers maps and weapons never before seen on mobile, and 50 levels of "Dead-Ops Arcade," a 50-level zombie gauntlet that provides the ultimate undead challenge for fans of Call of Duty’s signature zombie warfare.

Play solo or join a team of up to 4 players as you mow down hordes of zombies with Call of Duty’s all-new interface, now featuring Voice Chat for the first time ever.

And don’t just take our word for it; here is what critics think of the game:

- "Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies is a must-have for any Call of Duty fan and for everyday gamers alike." – Mashable.com
- "...after spending some time with COD: Black Ops Zombies, we think this could possibly be the best game we’ve seen yet on the Apple tablet." – Into Mobile
- "As far as the whole package is concerned, I adore the Dead Ops Arcade mode and feel it adds significant value to the $6.99 price tag" – Destructoid
- "Dead Ops…a perfect fit for the mobile platform." – G4 TV online
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Finally, a variety of optimizations and fixes have also been incorporated into this update to give players the best mobile Zombie experience yet.
For tips, tricks, and troubleshooting, be sure to check out the Black Ops Zombies Field Manual at www.callofduty.com/blackops/faq/ioszombies

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The game has been optimized for 3rd-generation devices and higher, providing unparalleled graphics and performance. As an iOS Universal App, the game operates the same whether played on iPhone, iPod, or iPad, meaning a zombie’s brain will splatter just as vividly on your iPhone 4 Retina Display as on your iPad 2. The game also supports Game Center leaderboards so you can compete with your friends.
Need more undead? Download Call of Duty: Zombies, the original mobile zombie warfare experience available on both iPhone and iPad. And don’t forget to download the Call of Duty: ELITE Mobile App for an inside-edge on your console Call of Duty Multiplayer experience.